Cherished
by Autumn's Effervescence
Summary: Written for the Bleach Romances Contest. Jinta's POV on Yuzu's obscured visits to the Urahara Shoten. Oneshot


This is a contest entry, for anyone curious why I made a story when I stated my other stories would be held back until December - I'm still working on my other stories - those just have very little inspiration going for them right now.... ;.;

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. -.- I doubt anyone but Kubo will ever have that right.

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Jinta set down the broom, wearily resting the worn-out wooden broom on the ground, sighing - brow furrowed in concentration at his mental dilemma.

It was painfully simple; subtle, and yet obvious.

The way his throat constricted when she spoke; the way his heart thundered in his chest when she came around; the way his cheeks flushed scarlet when she glanced, as if by chance, into his eyes.... It all drew up one reluctant conclusion.

He was in love.

But he didn't love just anyone - it would have been so much simpler if he had just fallen for the girl across the street. No - instead, he had been smitten by Kurosaki Yuzu - perhaps the only Kurosaki in the family that wasn't completely insane, in his opinion.

Jinta was painfully aware of the impenetrable line between them: Yuzu's older brother, an obtrusive and violent carrot-top, would beat the stuffing out of him if he ever found out. Even Urahara could disapprove - claiming that he was much too young to 'even be thinking of those kinds of things,' before shoving him off to finish the chores. And - besides, he belonged in a world of souls and spirits while Yuzu could barely even make out the outline of departed souls...

And yet...

Jinta felt his eyes light up at the sight of dark blonde hair, barely visible from the top of the fence - recognizable easily by the bright-red strawberry hairpin clipped to blonde hair.

Anxiety curled in his stomach, coiling contently around his heart as he leapt to his feet, picking up the dirt-encrusted handle of the broom with a new vigorous energy - hoping to make a good impression to the Kurosaki as he swept the dust to the aside - even if she was just passing by... if she so much as glanced at him, it would make the effort worthwhile.

"Ah... Jinta-san?" Yuzu's voice, ever-cheerful and happy, broke through the monotonous sound of the broom sweeping across the dirt.

Jinta glanced up quickly before noticing Yuzu standing just outside from the shop's general boundaries - eyes alight with curiosity as she glanced towards his direction.

Jinta felt his heart-rate absurdly speed up uncontrollably as he looked up - anxious quivering black eyes meeting comfortingly warm brown ones.

"You're back?" He could just barely keep his lazy drawl from cracking as a warm bubbly sensation occupied what was left in his chest. "What for?"

"Well..." Crimson dusted the young Kurosaki's cheeks. "This place has really good candy at such a low price...! And there's so much here..."

"How much?" Jinta called, turning his back on the other in order to hide his rapidly growing blush. "Er... How much candy, I mean." He could have kicked himself for his illiteracy - he must've sounded like a dunce...

"Just the usual." Her voice sounded like music - light and perfectly combed in with honey.

"Right!" Jinta picked up a bag. 'The usual' was the term that he and Yuzu now used to indicate 'a little bit of everything,' - the exact amount that Jinta felt that he was obligated to give her for so much as gracing the shop with her presence.

Jinta grabbed the latest 'ChocoAlmonds - nutrition with chocolate' bars before taking a few scattered chocolate bars, only taking two or three - he didn't know how he was going to explain half a missing crate of candy to Tessai, much less Urahara, though he much wanted to give the young Kurosaki the amount that he felt she very much deserved.

Hesitating for only a minute longer, Jinta swiped a few candies wrapped in edible rice paper before dropping those in the bag as well.

It didn't take longer than half a minute for him to finish up with everything and it was only when the bag felt fit to burst that he finally mustered up the courage to walk back to the Kurosaki - holding up the bag as an offering.

"500 yen."

Soft hazel eyes widened in surprise. "500 yen? But you gave me more candy this time... I should probably pay more..."

"No...!" The words came out in a decisive but certain mumble. "No. I mean... it's a Special today - we're giving out as much chocolate as can fit in a bag for only 500 yen."

"Really?" Surprise filtered into her faltering voice. "I don't see a sign..."

"It's a surprise for our regular customers only." Jinta quickly excused, shrugging slightly.

"Ah..." Yuzu took the overloaded bag of chocolates from him - her hand accidently brushing against his in the process, causing his skin to burn up. "500 yen, right?" A decorated wallet, though childishly made, emerged from her pocket as she deposited the sum into his hands. "Thanks again, Jinta-san. I really appreciate it."

"It's nothing, really!" Jinta could feel his face glow red from praise - "Come back next time!"

The young Kurosaki nodded enthusiastically before moving across the empty lot - walking away...

"Ah... wait!" He called after her - as if childishly expecting something more than just a wad of cash - but time with her; an absurd reality, still...

Yuzu turned back - bangs falling across her unmarred face as she turned. "What is it, Jinta-san?"

"Ah... well..." Why did he call her back? He knew that they should never meet, and yet....

Yuzu's eyes seemed to probe at the depths of his soul - childishly innocent and yet with a light of it's own, seeming to ask him: how far would you go for me?

"They... have a festival next week..." he muttered, referring back to the light show by the Onose River. "Fireworks... at the Onose River... I..."

"You mean the annual fireworks festival?" Yuzu inquired. "I'm going there with my family..." She bit her lower lip before - "You could come along if you like.... with us, I mean."

"Er.... what?" Jinta spluttered.

"You could come with my family..." Yuzu hefted up the bag of sweets. "Only if you like, though."

"I... guess I'll come with you.... I don't have anything better to do..." Jinta felt his face slowly heating up to a shade of vivid red at his pathetic attempt at indifference. "The festival's next week, right?"

"Yes. You should come over at 6 so I can get introductions around to my family." She was laughing now, a silvery sound that Jinta couldn't help but try to burn into memory. "I'll see you then, Jinta-san!"

And she was gone, then - with only the faint outlines of her shoes on the ground and the wad of bills that Jinta clutched to his heart to signify she had ever been there.

The festival would be next month - surely a long time to wait. And he would have hell explaining how so much candy had suddenly disappeared to Tessai. And the mountain-load of chores to do was far from through, and Ururu had gone with Urahara and Tessai to somewhere, so he wouldn't be able to force his chores to someone else. And he knew painfully well that he didn't belong with the young Kurosaki member - would never be with her.

And yet...

Even as he swept the well-worn bristles of the brush across the empty lot in a vain attempt to complete his chores, he couldn't seem to destroy that sense of happiness inside - the dark knot of love only tightening around his heart, as he remembered then that his memories with her would be cherished beyond doubt - and as he recalled the memory of her words, the promise of another meeting, ringing in his ears.

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And.... I'm done!!!!!

This was absolute hell. -.- This seems really crappy to be but - Ah, well - I hope you liked it~~~!!!!!!

I know I said my stories were all postponed til December, so this is kind of a way for me to get my inspiration back - don't kill me please!!!! *runs*

Anyhow - I hoped you liked this~

Please review~~~!!!!!


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